Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.

The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease worsen over time, although the rate at which the disease progresses varies. On average, a person with Alzheimer's lives four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.

There are 10 warning signs and symptoms. Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in a different degree. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.

National Men’s Health Week is observed each year leading up to Father’s Day. This week, June 12-18, 2017 is a reminder for men to take steps to be healthier, but they don’t have to do it alone! Whether it’s your husband, partner, dad, brother, son, or friend you can help support the health and safety of the men in your life. To show your support, Friday, June 16, 2017 has been officially named Wear BLUE Day.

Today we celebrate National Senior Health and Fitness Day. The common goal for this day: to help keep older Americans healthy and fit.

Is there a difference between being healthy and being fit?

Well, just because a body builder, or any athlete for that matter, looks strong, sculpted and without a trace of fat, there is no guarantee that he or she is healthy.

To be healthy, you must be fit, but you can be fit and not be healthy. They are not equal. Health is a state of complete physical, mental well-being, not merely the absence of disease. Fit means in good health, especially because of regular physical exercise.

Sometimes the more fit we are, the easier it is to ignore our body’s warnings. This is true of young people as well as adults. We can easily disregard warning signs, however, being healthy means listening to our brains and our bodies.

So, what five things should you NOT ignore?

1. Chest pain or discomfort

2. Unexplained shortness of breath

3. Light-headedness or blacking out, especially during exercise

4. Unexplained fatigue

5. Palpitations–the sense of a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

Any of these warning signs or a family history of heart issues, deserves investigation, because being healthy is the ultimate goal.

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems.

The 2017 MHM campaign is titled Risky Business, and will educate the public on habits and behaviors that increase the risk of developing or exacerbating mental illnesses, or are signs of mental health problems themselves. These include such diverse risk factors such as sedentary lifestyles, hyper-sexuality, recreational drug use, internet/gaming addiction, disordered eating, and other obsessive/addictive behaviors.

The intent behind this theme is to raise awareness of the risks that these types of behaviors present—especially to young people—to help individuals detect these early warning signs, and to provide resources for prevention and early intervention.

In addition to the above habits and behaviors, there are other early warning signs of mental illness. Experiencing one or more of the following feelings or behaviors can be an early warning sign of a problem:

Having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head

Hearing voices or believing things that are not true

Thinking of harming yourself or others

Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school

If you detect these types of habits and behavior in someone you know, the Plaquemines Community CARE Centers has professional counselors available to provide assistance to the residents of Plaquemines Parish. Give us a call @ 504-393-5750.

Swimming and other water-related activities are excellent ways to get the physical activity and health benefits needed for a healthy life. However, they are not risk-free. CDC's Healthy Swimming website provides information for all groups of individuals involved in a healthy and safe swimming experience about how to maximize the health benefits of swimming while minimizing the risk of illness and injury.

National Women's Health Week is an observance led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health. The goal is to empower women to make their health a priority. The week also serves as a time to help women understand what steps they can take to improve their health. The 17th annual National Women's Health Week kicks off on Mother's Day, May 8, and is celebrated through May 14, 2016.

National Children's Mental Health Day, part of National Children's Mental Health Awareness Week, is Thursday, May 11, 2017. National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and to show that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development from birth.

Children’s mental health problems are real, common and treatable. Although one in five children has a diagnosable mental health problem, nearly two-thirds of them get little or no help.

Untreated mental health problems can disrupt children’s functioning at home, school and in the community. Without treatment, children with mental health issues are at increased risk of school failure, contact with the criminal justice system, dependence on social services, and even suicide.

PCCC announces an upcoming Active Parenting of Teens class that will be starting on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. The class will focus on positive parenting and discipline skills for use with teens. The classes will be held every Tuesday from 5pm to 7pm at the Plaquemines Community CARE Center in Belle Chasse for six consecutive weeks.

The only requirement for admission to the group is that a parenting intake be completed before the first group meeting. There is no cost for the parenting intake, but participants are required to purchase their books, which cost $15, and can be paid for either at the time of the intake, or at the first group meeting.

If there is anyone that you think would be interested, or that you would like to recommend to participate in the Active Parenting of Teens group, please refer them to contact the PCCCF, or Jesse Roessler (at jroessler@pcccf.org or 504-393-5750). The final date for an individual to sit for an intake and be considered for the group is Friday, May 12, 2017.

Every Kid Healthy™ Week is an annual observance created to celebrate school health and wellness achievements and recognized on the calendar of National Health Observances. Observed the last week of April each year, this special week shines a spotlight on the great efforts our school partners are making to improve the health and wellness of their students and the link between nutrition, physical activity and learning – because healthy kids are better prepared to learn!

Plaquemines Community C.A.R.E. Centers Foundation, Inc.

The Plaquemines Community CARE Center is a not-for profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Its mission is to protect Children, Victims, the Elderly and Disabled of Plaquemines Parish by providing a professional, compassionate and coordinated approach to individual and family needs.

An intake worker will contact you within one business day to schedule an appointment for services

Every donation supports mental and behavioral health services for children and families of Plaquemines Parish.

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